Consumer Product Safety

Overview

The mission of the consumer product safety program is to protect consumers from the unreasonable risk of injury posed by consumer products. 

 

Recall Effectiveness Checks
Perform spot checks of retailers to ensure that recalled products have been removed from sale.

For additional information about recalled products or to report a potentially unsafe product, call the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission toll-free at (800) 638-2772, or visit the commission website.

Drowning

Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death among Kentucky children. Children younger than 4 have the highest drowning rates of any age group. While most drownings occur in open bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, ponds and swimming pools, children more often drown in bathtubs, toilets, wash buckets and other containers. 

A sober, alert adult should always supervise children around water. Don’t let children out of sight even for a moment and don’t be distracted by phone calls or activities that could command your attention. Be sure to empty buckets and other containers promptly after use. 

Click here for additional information on swimming pool safety from the CPSC

ATV Safety

ATV Safety Tips:

  • Always wear a helmet
  • Choose an ATV with an engine size appropriate for the operator’s age
  • Take the ATV Safety Institute Rider course. Call (800) 887-2887 or visit the ASI website for information
  • Never operate an ATV with more than one rider
  • Never operate on paved surfaces
  • Always wear a helmet

Nursery Safety

Nursery Equipment Safety Tips:

  • Mail in product registration card or register items on the manufacturer’s website to be notified of recalls.
  • Inspect equipment regularly for loose or missing parts. Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission website for information about product recalls and updated standards.
  • Infants younger than 1 always should sleep in a crib that is in good repair and meets current specifications. Adult beds do not meet safety standards for babies.
  • Remove pillows, blankets, sheets, stuffed animals and other soft objects from the crib. They can present a suffocation hazard. 

Toy Safety

Toy Safety Tips:

  • For children younger than 3, select toys with no small pieces that can be a choking hazard.
  • Keep toys intended for older children out of the reach of children younger than 3. 

Additional Information

​Keep safety in mind when shopping and decorating for the holidays

Toy Safety

  • Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Toys that are too advanced could be a safety hazard for younger children.
  • Read instructions carefully before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy received as a gift. If the toy is appropriate for your child, show him or her how to use it properly.
  • Be careful with holiday gift-wrapping, like bags, paper, ribbons and bows. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child.
  • Be aware that children age 3 and younger can choke on small toys and toy parts with a diameter of one and three-quarters of an inch or smaller.
  • Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.  Children younger than 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Watch for pull toys with strings longer than 12 inches which can be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Trees

  • Look for fire resistant on the label when purchasing an artificial tree. Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
  • Check live trees for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree will be sticky with resin and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
  • Place fresh and artificial trees away from fireplaces, radiators, portable heaters, candles and other heat or open-flame sources. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place trees out of the way of foot and pet traffic and do not block doorways.
  • Cut a few inches off the trunk of your live tree before bringing it inside to expose fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard as quickly.

Lights

  • Use only lights tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Use only lights that have fused plugs.
  • Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections and throw out damaged sets. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.
  • Plug in no more than three standard-size sets of lights to a single extension cord. Make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use.
  • Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights and anyone touching a branch could be electrocuted.
  • Check labels on outdoor lights to be sure they are certified for outdoor use.
  • Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, buildings or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks, or, run strings of lights through hooks designed for this use (available at hardware stores).
  • Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short circuit and start a fire.
  • For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. A qualified electrician can install GFCIs permanently to household circuits.

Decorations

  • Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
  • Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
  • Take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children and pets to prevent choking and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food.
  • Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow product directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Additional Information